Printing-press



Patented May 16, I899.

J. P. STEVENS.

PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed. Juno 9, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Shut I.

(No Model.)

1 INVENTOR Jfb'iez'ena,

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No. 625,2I0. Patented May 16, I899. J. P. STEVENS.

PRINTING PRESS. (Application and June 9, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Shut 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 625,210. Patented May I6, I899. J P. STEVENS. PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed June 9, 1898.)

4 Shear-sheaf 8.

(No Model.)

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No. 625,210. Patented May l6, I899.

J. P. STEVENS.

PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed June 9, 1898.) (No Model.)

4 Sheeta$heet 4.

2 '5 3 1 I d jg 1i WITNESSES v INVENTOR. ifim'ah frcg Stevens, i BY 9/ mM ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH PERCY STEVENS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

PRINTING-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION foimiiig part Of Letters Patent NO. 625,210, dated May 16,1899 Application filed \Tune 9. 1898. Serial No. 683.019. (No model.)

To (0% whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSIAH PERCY STEVENS, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and Stateof Georgia, have made a certain new and useful Improvement inPrinting-Machines; and I hereby declare the following to be afull,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to printing presses or machines, the improvementshaving more particular relation to the inking and wiping of the platesor dies of relief or plate printing machines and in moving said diesduring the operation of inking and Wiping and to printing position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a press,showing this device attached. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of aportion of the device. Fig. 3 is a section of the device on the linenumbered 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the upright whereonthe presser-plate is adjustably mounted. Fig. 5 is a detail of theactuating-levers and the latches thereon in conjunction with cooperativeparts. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the wiping-tape feedmechanism, and Fig. 7 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a detail ofthe mechanism for adjusting the depression limit and raising thewiping-platen. Fig. 9 is a detail in side elevation of the releasing-armcontrolling the descent of the wiping-platen.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is across-sectional View of the wiping-platen, showing a side elevation ofone of the arms carrying same. Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively side andedge views of one of the main actuating-levers.

In the figures like reference characters are uniformly employed in thedesignation of corresponding elements of construction in all the views.

A is the pressframe. a is the base thereof. a is a suitablesubstructure.

a is the bed-plate of the press, and (L3 the plunger thereof.

a is a spur-gear on the main shaft or camshaft of the press, and a isthe pinion meshing therewith.

a is the paper-table whereon the paper is laid while inking the press.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the bed a has at its upper side ways of anydesired construction, and B is a carriage adapted on its upper side toreceive the printing plate or die and fitting by its lower side into theways on the upper side of the bed a Secured to the end of the bed a andhaving one of its faces perpendicular thereto, preferably, is an uprightplate a and having on its side toward the press proper a suit-able guideor hearing for the head-block c, which carries the arms 0, hereinafterdescribed, and which bear near their distal extremity the wiping-platen.This head-block c is provided with a pin 0 Fig. 4:, projecting into aslot 0 in the upright 0, whereby is provided a sliding fulcrum at thelower end of said head-block. In the upper end of the head-block c isset a stud c and the upright c is provided with a hole, as shown by thebroken lines o in Fig. 4, very much larger in diameter than the bolt'cwhereby said bolt may have movement in all directions therein.c-isawasher adapted to cover the'said hole and receive the bolt 0 Thisobviously provides for an adjustment of the head-block c in alldirections in its own plane. This adjustment, as will be presentlyplainly seen, provides an adjustment for the lower or working face ofthe wiping-plate D. The arms G are pivoted upon a bolt 0 passing througha lug or lugs on the head-block c, and they extend above the base a tothe raising and lowering mechanism, which will be hereinafter described.As best shown in Fig. 11, the wiping-platen consists of a metallic plate(I, held between the two arms 0 or upon the arm 0, if only one is to beused, and an elastic underlay d, of suitable material, to resist thedestructive action of the die impact and at the same time to afiord asurface suitable to press the wiping-paper against all portions of theprinting plate or die.

(1 is a reel provided With suitable detent mechanism, and (Z is a stripof cloth or other suitable substance which forms an overlay for thewiping-platen to reduce the friction of the paper web thereupon shouldthe pad d be of friction-increasing material, the said and having itsfree end held by a detent (P, which should engage said free end in anysuitable manner.

6 is a shaft which is mounted in the hous ing 6', secured to thebed-plate ct 'and having sides and a top preferably either in the formof plates or suitable framework, and passing through the free ends ofthe armsOisascrew 0 resting upon the hub of the cam e on said shaft andpreventing the depression of the platen D below the point where it Willproperly wipe the die I) as the same passes under it and preventing itsdepression to a point where it would likely engage with any partof theprinting plate or die or the carriage B. A spring 0 serves to press theplaten and its lever or levers downwardly into operative position to thelimit allowed by the screw 0, and a screw 0 serves to adjust the tensionof said spring. A cross-bar 0 extends between the ends of the levers C,and on the shaft 6 is a cam e which is adapted byits partial revolutionin contact with the said cross-bar 0 to raise the arms 0, and hence theplaten D, out of and permit its descent into operative position. 7

F- is the ink-fountain, which sets upon the upper side of the base abeing held in position by a springfand being provided with a roller f,rotating in the ink by means of a belt f driven from some suitable partof the machine.

G is a roller composed of or coated with a suitable absorbent materialand, being journaled in the upper end of a vibrating lever g, fulcrumedon a stud g, set in the base a vibrates from a position in peripheralcontact with the roller f into a position where the die I) will contactwith its periphery upon the retraction of the carriage B. Means forcausing this vibratory motion of the lever g and the partial rotation ofthe shaft 6 will be presently described.

II is a pillow-block which may be situated on the foundation of themachine orits frame, and h is a shaft journaled thereon, h beinga leversecured to said shaft h andadjustable longitudinally by being made intwo overlapping sections held together by adjustable bolts it whichallow the said sections to be separated and moved longitudinally withrespect to each other to lengthen or shorten the lever, as desired. Thefree end of this lever h is provided with a slot 7L2, and upon a bolt7L3, seated in this slot, is pivoted a pitman h, which is alsoextensible bybeing made in two overlapping sections secured together bya plurality of adj usting-bolts h, and the other end of said pitman isconnected by wrist-pins h with the spur-gear a of the press or someother suitable actuating mechanism. By means of the extensibility of thepitman 71. the arc of vibration'of the lever h maybe located, and bymeans of the extension of the lever h the vibration of said lever, andhence cam in any set position.

the partial rotation of the shaft h, may be adj usted in degree, smalleradjustments thereof being obtainable by moving the wrist-pin h in theslot, 72?. I is a short lever also secured to the shaft 71. andvibrating with the partial rotations thereof, '0' being a braceextending between the levers h and I and preserving their properrelative positions rigidly without relying solely on the torsionalresistance of the shaft h and the rigidity of securement of the said twolevers thereto to prevent a Variable relative movement of said levers.

J is a lever longer than the' lever I, loosely fulcrumed on the shaft hand extending up wardly to a point under the bed a where it is connectedto the carriage B by means of a pitman j, thus communicating itsvibratory motion converted to a reciprocating motion to the saidcarriage. It is necessary that this motion of the carriage should stopfor a considerable period of time at one end of the way in the base ar-that is, the carriage should dwell under the plunger of the pressasuffi cient length of time for the impression to be taken. Now themotion of the carriage and of the entire device being derived from aconstantly-moving source, it is necessary that the engagement betweenthe levers IandJ should be disrupted at the extremity of the desiredforward stroke of the lever J, the lever I continuin g its motionforwardlythat is, toward the front of the machine-after this disruptionand engaging the lever J on its return from such advanced position. Thisoperation is provided for in the following manner, namely On the lever Iis a slide i, having a lug 2' projecting from the side of its upper endtoward the lever J, while a lug j is secured to the lever J, which lugsi andj are capable of engagement when the slide 1; is elevated and thelever I returns from its forward limit of movement. Projecting from thelower end of the slide 1' is another lug i and a spring i engaging theslide 'i, which acts to press said slide, and hence said lug,downwardly, so as to bring said lug 2' into contact with the peripheryof the cam 2' rotatably secured on the lever I, and into engagemeut withone of the notches 2' or 2' of said cam, which engagement acts toholdsaid A lever forms means for the partial rotation of said cammanually. Obviously a partial rotation of the cam 2' in the direction ofthe arrow 2, Fig. 12, will lower the lug t out of danger of contact withthe lug j and prevent the lever J from being carried backwardly with thelever I. An engagementbetwcen the levers I and J is had in the oppositedirection by means of a latch j, pivotally secured to the lever J by anarmj thereon, as best shown in Fig. 5, and which latch by its shoulder7' engages with the upper end of the lever I as same moves forwardlyi.e., to the left in Fig. 1and causes the lever J to move with said leverI. A spring j acts to press this latch j downwardly into engagingposition, a

pinjset in the frame, (see'Fig. 1,) actingin conjunction with thebeveled end 3' of the latch j to disengage said latch j from the upperend of the lever I as soon as said lever J reaches such a position aswill leave the dieearriage B under the plunger of the press in theproper position for an impression to be taken. In Fig. 5 the parts areshown in the position just after disengagement on the forward movementof the lever I.

On the pin g, as before stated, is pivoted a lever g, carrying theinker-roller G, and on the end of the shaft 6 is an arm 9 A pitman e ispivotally secured to thefree end of said arm e and its other end isslotted and connected by a sliding connection to one end of the lever g.Thus a partial rotation of the shaft e, which, as before stated, raisesand lowers the lever O, is accomplished by a correlative vibratorymovement of the arm e ,and the movement of the lever g, which swings theink-roller G from the roller f to the die Z) and back, is alsoaccomplished by said vibratory motion of the arm 6 through the pitman6*. Now in order to hold the lever C elevated during the backwardmovement of the die-carriage and depressing it during the forwardmovement of said carriage or until the die is in position for animpression to be made, thus holding the wiping-platen, respectively, outof and in wiping position at'those times and to ink the roller G and thedie, it is only necessary to hold the arm 6 in the position shown inFig. 2. This is done by means of a latch K, pivotally'secured to thebedplate a or other convenient place and extending to a position aboveand preferably just over the edge thereof near the path of the pin '70on the carriage B, and a latch K, beveled on its lower end and pendentfrom the endof said latch K and lying across the path of said pin 7;, apin K on the latch K permitting said latch K to swing in one direction,but holding it rigid against movement with the pin 70 as the carriagemoves forwardly. The latch K is provided with a shoulder 7%, whichengages with a lip 76* on the end of the pitman 2 when the wiper-platenis elevated and the latch K depressed, so that it is obvious that assoon as the latch K is lifted by the contact of the pin 71; with thebeveled end of the latch 7; the spring 0 will cause the wiper-platen todescend into position for wiping the die and bring the inking-rollerinto contact with the roller f. In order to bring the lever e to theposition shown in Fig. 2, lifting said platen and bringing theinking-roller i'nto position to ink the die, a latch L is pivotallysecured to the side of the lever J, and a stud Z is set in the lever eor the pitman e in such a position as to be contacted with by said latchon the backward motion and force the lever o back to its position,engaging the latch K. In order that the impact of the lever L on the pin1 may be elastic, I prefer to pivot the said latch and attach a spring Zto its end, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5.

M is a spring-actuated reel, and m is a cord has its free end attachedto the die-carriage B. This element acts to keep the said carriage incontact with the stop on which it rests during impression.

N is a cord which is attached to the lever g and is made elastic bymeans of a spring n, its free end being attached to the floor or to thefree end of the machine, said elastic cord acting to pull the said leverg from its position shown in Fig. 2 into a position where the roller Gwill rest against the roller f.

O is a lever which is pivoted or fulcrumed on the pin or stud g, havingits lower end connected by a pitman 0 to the lever J, Whereby it will bevibrated synchronously with the said lever J. o is a link belt which isattached to the upper end of the said lever O by one end and passes overthe sprocketwheel 19 on the shaft P, which said shaft is mounted in theupper bifurcation c of the upright c of the frame. ,It is hence obviousthat a vibration of the lever 0 will cause a rotation of the shaft Pcorresponding in numher or length and direction to said vibration. Nowit is desirable that the roller Q revolve only in direction of the arrow3, Figs. 1, 6, and 6. In order to accomplish this, I mount the roller Qon a hollow shaft g, which in turn is rotatable on the shaft P, and onthe end of this hollow shaft I place a ratchet-wheel g, which is heldagainst rotation in one direction by a pawl g engaging its dentatedsurface, and is caused to rotate through a ratchetwheel p, secured tothe shaft P and rotatable therewith and with which a pawl g carried, onthe side of the ratchet-wheel q, engages in one direction. Thus it willbe seen thata rotation in one direction of the ratchet-wheel 1) will beconnected through the shaft P, ratchet-wheel q, and hollow shaft (1 tothe roller Q. Now, as'best shown in Figs. 4 and 6 another shaft R ismounted in a slot 1" in the arms 7 secured to the uprights c, and onthis shaft are carried a multiplicity of rollers r which contactperipherally with the roller Q, being held in such contact by suitablesprings r secured, preferably, to the uprights a and resting their freeends against the said shaft R or its bearing-boxes.

S are bars which are pendent from the shaft R, and preferably have theirends joined by a cross-bar s, as shown in Figs. 2and4c. Now thewiping-paper 3' comes from the reel 8 passing downwardly by a suitableroute and across the face of the wiping pad clv and through suitabledeflecting pinsor rollers 8 thus passing with its uninked surface incontact with the roller Q and its inked surface in contact with thewheels 0*, which, by

'wheels T and the projecting edgeof the bar .9 prevents the paper fromadhering to the I LO faces of said arms S, so that the paper when drawnthrough the machine and inked on one side will be freely delivered, andthere will be no accretion thereof on any part of the machine.

The operation of this device is as follows: The die-carriage B isbrought forward to a position under the plunger a and the engraved orotherwise constructed die is secured in a suitable manner to the upperside thereof. The parts are then moved into theposition shown to ink theplate and the levers I and J are drawn back to their normal position, asare all of the other elements of the device, including the wiping-pad d,which, together with its arms 0 and backing d, are elevated. Now thebelt shifter or clutch or other stop ping and starting device is shiftedto put the machine in motion, which through the pitman h and the leversh and I is started forwardly, and as the upper end of the lever Iengages with the shoulder of the latehj' also carries with it the leverJ, moving the die-carriage B along its ways under and in forciblecontact with the inking-roller G and through the pin striking theinclined faces of the latch 7a lifting the lever K and disrupting theengagement between the shoulder 10 and the lip k whereby the lever e ispermitted to move forwardly, and the arms 0, with the wiping-padthereon, are depressed, so that a further movement forwardly of thecarriage B brings the die into contactwith the under surface of the webof wiping-paper resting upon the under side of said wiping-pad, therebyremoving the ink from the face of the die and leaving the intaglioportions full of ink. The carriage B "then progresses to the pointdirectly under taken, during which time the lever I has been movingforwardly and backwardly from and to a position alongside the lever J.Now if the lip 2' carried on the sliding bar 2" of the lever I, iselevated the said latch will engage with the lug j on the side of thelever J and carry it back to its starting-point in Fig. 1. Now when thecam t is in such a position that the lug i on the sliding bar 4."engages the notch i this lug 2' is elevated, as aforesaid; but shouldthe impression for any reason fail of consummation the operator may withhis foot press downwardly upon the lever 47, which will bring the cam iinto such a position that the said lug 2' will engage with the notch 2'on the periphery of said cam and the slide 2" and its cam 2' be loweredout of danger of engagement with the lug j, in which case the machinewill remain at rest with the exception of the lever I, whichwill returnto its starting-point and again to its forward limit of movement,whereupon the proper revolution of the cam 'i will again cause thelevers I and J to engage. When said levers are thus engaged on thebackward movement of the lever I, the said lever J will obviously followit, carrying the die B backwardly to its normal position. Now if it isundesirable to have the die passed backwardly in contact with thewiping-paper the wiping-pad should be again raised, which isaccomplished bybringing the upperend of the latch L, carried on thelever J, into contact with the stud Z, as best shown in Fig. 5, wherebythe said stud, together with the lever e and the cam e will be partiallyrevolved, raisingthe levers through the cross-' bar 0 and thus liftingthe wiping-pad D out of operative position. This continues until the arcof movement of the working face of the latch L shall swing out of thearc of movement of the stud Z, at which time the engagenient between thesaid latch L and the stud Z will obviously be disrupted and the lip 70be allowed to engage the shoulder 10 the spring 10 rendering it certainthat the lever will descend. As the carriage B passes backwardly the pinIt strikes the latch 7t, swings it out of the way, and passes under andin contact with the inking-rollerG, when it is inked both coming backand going toward the point of impression. As the lever e swingsforwardly the pitman 6 moves the lever 9, so as to bring theinking-roller G into contact with the constantly-rotated fountainrollerf, where it stays until the lever c is moved back, as just specified.The spring 17., connected to the lever g, assists this motion and actsto press these two rollers into contact. Through the levers O and thepitman 0 the wiping-paper is fed across the wipingplaten, ashereinbefore specified.

The adjustment of the machine having been hereinbefore set up, it isthought unnecessary to describe it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a printing-press a press and a guideway leading thereto, adie-carriage on and adapted to traverse said guideway, a platehorizontally disposed over said guideway, two arms pivotally securedover said guideway and carried on said arms, a shaft and a cam thereonadapted to engage said arms and move them vertically and means forcausing a partial rotation of said shaft synchronously with the movementof said die-carriage, and a setscrew in one of said arms bearing on saidshaft.

2. In a printing-press, a press, and a guidewayleading thereto, adie-carriage on and adapted to traverse said guideway, an upright havinga hole near its top and extending vertically above said guideway andsecured thereto, a plate lying against the inner side of said upright, apin projecting therefrom into said hole in said upright and having awasher covering said hole, an arm pivotally secured on said plate andextending along and over said guideway, a plate secured to said armhori- IIO zoutally disposed over said guideway and means for moving saidlevers on their pivots upon a correlative movement of said die-carriage.V

In a printing-press, a press, a guid'eway leading thereto, adie-carriage on and adapted to traverse said guideway a stationary platesecured to said guideway in an upright position and transverselythereof, a plate lying upon the face of the aforesaid plate, means forsecuring the movable plate in any set position upon and parallel to theaforesaid stationary plate, a lever pivotally secured to said movableplate, and a \vipiugpad secured to said lever over said guideway, andmeans for moving said levers on their pivots upon a correlative movementof said die-carriage.

4. In a printing-press, a press, and a guide- Way leading thereto, adie-carriage on and adapted to traverse said guideway, an upright havinga vertical slot near its bottom and a hole near its top and extendingvertically above said guideway and secured thereto a plate lying againstthe inner side of said upright, a pin projecting therefrom into saidslot and a screw entering said plate through said hole in said uprightand having a washer covering said hole, a set-screw passing upwardlythrough said plate and into said slot and bearing its upper end upon theunder side of said pin, an arm uprightly secured on said plate andextending along and over said guideway and means for moving said leverson their pivots upon a correlative movement of said die-carriage. 1

5. In a printing-press, a press,a guideway leading thereto, adie-carriage on and adapted to traverse said guideway, a long leverpivotally secured below said guideway and connected at its upper end tosaid die-carriage, a short lever pivoted concentrically therewith, a lugon the side of said long lever, a slide on said short lever carrying ablock and a cam mounted with its periphery in contact with said slideand adapted by its rotation to move said block into engagement with saidlug substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

Witnesses:

A. P. Woon, PAUL DIXON.

